He supposed it was silly, hiding out in the Quad. But he couldn't make himself walk back to the dorms just yet. Of course, it was after hours but a sniper knew how to make himself invisible. A breeze danced around him, teasing the ends of his coat and his hair. He smiled, leaning against the newly built stone wall. They had put a railing up around it, but people would knock it over doing what he was doing now.
The moon peeked out from behind its veil of clouds, and Irvine smile slowly started to fade. The sight reminded him of an old song he played nearly nonstop after his first bad breakup. He drummed his fingers on the stone, then started to sing softly as the words came back to him.
"If you lose your one and only... There's always room here for the lonely... To watch your broken dreams... Dance in and out of the beams... Of a neon moon..."
He heard the creak of leather behind him, and stiffened. He glanced slightly to his left, and blinked. What was Squall doing out here? He barely left the office anymore, ever since Rinoa left. Hard to believe it'd been only been a year since they defeated Ultimecia and only three months since...
"Selphie was worried about you."
Typical. He didn't ask why she was worried, in fact he didn't even seem to care that something *must* have happened.
"And so *you* came looking for me?"
One brown brow lifted at the thinly veiled sarcasm. Then he shrugged. "She asked me, and then told me I needed to get out of the office. So, she dragged me out, then locked me out. Didn't have much of a choice."
Irvine snickered. Trust Selphie to do that to the feared Squall Lionheart. Ah, Selphie... He sighed again, turning to look up at the sky again.
"So, what happened?"
"Do you even care?" Irvine asked, not bothering to look at him again. Squall rubbed the bridge of his nose. True, he had brought this upon himself, thanks to his self-imposed exile. It was his nature to be a workaholic, Rinoa had been the only one willing to drag him out and force him to be human for a while. Until she had walked into his office, nearly in tears.

"I can't take this anymore, Squall."
He looked up at her, wondering what had happened. Before he could say anything though, she had taken off her chain. He frowned, as she removed Griever and placed it on his desk. "I've given up trying to compete with your work, Squall. Your friends only see you when I manage to get you away from here. I love you. But... I just can't..."
She started to cry, and wiped at her eyes angrily. He froze for a moment. "Rinoa... I..." She held up a hand, halting his words. "Don't say anything... Squall. There's really nothing to say."
"I... I love you..."
Those melted chocolate eyes locked onto his, as she studied him for a moment, then she shook her head. "Don't lie to me, Squall. You love something, but it's not me. It's this." She pointed at the paperwork scattered on his desk. "Your job is more important then your life. Then your friends..." Another sob came up, but she choked it back down. "I'm leaving tomorrow Squall." She turned on her heel then, and fled, tears falling as she did so. Squall stood, one hand reaching out as he said, "...Wait." But she was gone. He sat back down, staring at the ring.

He felt eyes upon him, and looked up at Irvine. Sympathy flashed in that violet gaze, before it moved away again. "Selphie and I... We broke up. No, let me amend that. We didn't break up, we sorta drifted apart."
Squall said nothing, just listening.
"I was gonna tell her today, that we'd be better off bein' friends. But she beat me to it. And she didn't tell me anything..."
Squall tilted his head to the side. She hadn't told him anything? Then how did he know for sure that it was over?
"I was going over to her room this mornin' to talk to her..."

Irvine stared at the door before knocking. He was going over in his head, what he wanted to say. ~ Sefie.. I love you. But... ~ Nah, that wouldn't work. ~ We're better off being friends, because I... ~ No. Scowling, he stuck his hands in his pockets, wincing as something jabbed him in the finger. He pulled it out, frowning in puzzlement. It wasn't his key... Oh yea... Selphie had given him a spare last week, so he could collect some papers for her. Ah. ~ Sefie. I came to return your key... And I need to talk to you... ~ He inserted the key into the lock, quietly turning it and opening the door. Then froze at the sight before him. Zell and Selphie were locked in an embrace. He supposed he must have made some sort of noise, because Selphie suddenly looked over in his direction. And her eyes widened. "Irvy?!?" Zell looked over as well, and turned a bright red. Before he could say anything though, Irvine dropped the key on a small table next to the door. "Just came to return, sorry to interrupt y'all." And then he beat a hasty exit, still not believing what he had just seen.

"So, that's why she was worried. She said she hadn't seen you all day."
"Took a page from your book. Been hiding."
Squall frowned thoughtfully at that, then looked away from him.
"What were you about to tell her, if I may ask?"
"Gonna tell her I cared for someone else. Hell, I had cared about this person for a while now... But they weren't free till recently..."
Squall felt from Irvine's tone that it was someone he knew. But Quistis was currently involved with Seifer... though only Squall knew it about it. They hadn't gone public yet. Rinoa? No. He doubted it was Rinoa. They got along, but that was about it. Xu, perhaps? Or was she still with Nida? He was positive it couldn't be Fujin, she'd actually kicked Irvine once.
Irvine was looking at him again, a slight smile playing around the edges of his lips. Squall was racking his brain for who it could be. Should he tell, or should him let him stew for a while? He decided to wait. Until Squall asked who.


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A/N - This is for Arian, who reviewed all fourteen of my chapters in my Seifer/Squall story. I hope you enjoy so far. :) Also, warning for some shounen-ai coming up... So be prepared! Hehe. Well - like it, love it.. want more of it? Review and let me know. Hate it? :P But you can tell me that too, as long as you give a valid reason why. So, shall I continue? Disclaimers: Square owns them, "Neon Moon" - Brook & Dunn.